Last Days of Rabbit Hayes, The
McPartlin, AnnaSingle mum 'Rabbit' Hayes is coming to the end of her innings ... prematurely, it has to be said but that is not going to stop her making the most of what time she does have left. Gathered at the hospice in her final days are her friends and family, recalling and celebrating the life she has led to the full.
Tempered with Irish humour and the perfect balance of sadness and hope, this is a credible, heartwarming story of a reluctant but beautiful journey. [Larger font]
Comments from Groups
Everyone LOVED this book! Hard to start, then hard to put down! 9/10 loved the characters (especially Molly); thought it a well constructed novel; a privilege to read, and admired the huge strength of their family bond. We thought the interaction brilliant, although thought their ethics questionable re not telling Juliet about her mother's imminent death. A perfect book about death and dying. Excellent! Whitianga 002
Pages
436
436
Year
2015
2015
Reviews
29-09-2023
Mixed reviews, from really enjoying the fast read and relating it to personal experiences, to struggling to finish it because of the writing style. We noted the Irish humour, the complex family relationships and the bittersweet experiences - and all cried at some stage of the story, indicating the character connection the author achieved with her writing.
30-03-2023
Loved it, loved it! Sad but wonderfully funny. The characters leapt off the page, real and recognisable. So Irish! The book stayed with us well after we finished it. Highly recommend.
03-03-2023
An enjoyable read about a very sad story. Good discussion on several fronts.
27-09-2022
We all loved this book. A difficult subject made beautiful. Incredible characters. A very talented writer. Highly recommended to other book groups. Our favorite so far!
22-04-2022
We all loved this book - a very powerful and raw story with wonderful characters, told in a funny and bittersweet way. Many tears were shed and smiles had.
03-12-2021
Mixed reviews within the group... one loved it and would score it 5; others didn't bother finishing it. We all commented on the swearing... none liked that! We had a good discussion around the family members and how likely their reactions were, and one of us was expecting something significant (novel and amusing) to happen in the last days.
18-10-2021
A well-written story of the impending death of a much loved family member. Simultaneously funny and heart-breaking. Recommended.
03-09-2020
We all loved this book and thought it was well-written. Many tears were shed while reading.
19-11-2019
We all found this book an emotional read, tears and laughter. Just about every member could relate to the subject matter first hand. Probably the most discussed book this year. Our Irish member said the book was so real with some of the Irish references, how people behave and expressions. it was a raw and uplifting read.
25-05-2019
This was an emotional read and some cried from start to finish. It generated good discussion and sharing of personal experiences.
03-05-2019
One of our favourite books. Everyone was apprehensive about reading it given the subject matter but thoroughly enjoyed it. The Irish humour and writing style was appreciated by everyone and we all found it very real. The various back stories added layers which made the novel emotionally engaging. Our discussion moved on from the book to a lively discussion of death, during which we learnt one of our members is an ex funeral director so there were lots of anecdotes and laughs. Comments from one of our recently bereaved members was how helpful she had found the open and frank discussion.
18-04-2019
The overall view of this book was that everyone enjoyed it, even though the subject was sad. It was managed well with the Irish humour. Everyone loved Molly and were happy that the wee girl went with her Uncle. We all enjoyed the second story about the band & Johnny. So it was sad, but well written and a great story..
26-11-2018
Probably our favourite book of the year: even the woman who had survived breast cancer enjoyed it. The subject matter - a young woman dying, the love of her life with a serious disease, and her mother's illness at the end - which should have been bleak, wasn't at all in the context of her boisterous and varied family. We all liked the end decision about the daughter's future. Our favourite character veered between mother and the son who took Juliet at the end. I was specially impressed with the section on her getting her first period, which was dealt with very matter-of-factly and with humour.
17-08-2018
All members rated the book as a good read. Some members found it a difficult read as they had personal and direct experiences of dealing with terminal cancer within their families.
17-08-2018
A popular read.
17-08-2018
Moving, sad, funny and joyous. We all loved this book without exception. It touched many who had experience of cancer.
17-08-2018
Insightful book regarding the subject of cancer/death. A dark subject, but handled well with tears and smiles interspersed with light relief in the form of Irish comedy. Some members chose not to read.
17-08-2018
We loved this book! The humour, the tragic subject, but the beauty of all the characters and how they were portrayed kept us all captivated - with tears and laughter.
03-05-2018
We all loved the book, it was an awesome read. There were tears and laughter!
03-05-2018
Most thought it was fantastic. A couple in the group weren't "engaged" with the characters. The humour and "Irishness" much enjoyed by most.
03-05-2018
Enjoyed by everyone. Very real to several. The writer has a wonderful feel for the emotions of the family.
03-05-2018
Beautiful story - well written. Totally believable characters.
20-12-2017
This book was not as dark or sad as the title suggests.